The Pillow, the Ticking Sound, and the Truth
The morning had just started when the doorbell rang at Kate and Josh’s house. Josh was outside, walking around the garden with their little daughter, Emily, sitting high on his shoulders, giggling as he bounced her up and down.
“I’ll get it!” Kate called out, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel as she hurried to the front door.
A delivery man stood there, holding a medium-sized brown box.
“I have a package for you,” he said with a polite smile.
Kate signed quickly and took the box inside. She thought it might be something Josh ordered. Their third wedding anniversary was just a few days away, and he loved surprising her.
“I just want to make you smile, Kate,” Josh had said once, while they cuddled on the couch. “It’s the little things that matter.”
Smiling at the memory, Kate carried the package to the kitchen table. She grabbed the scissors and carefully cut through the thick tape. Inside, she found something unexpected — a beautiful, soft, embroidered pillow. It was cream-colored with golden thread and would match their living room perfectly. Tucked underneath was a note.
Happy Anniversary, Josh and Kate! — Taylor.
For a moment, Kate felt touched by the gesture. But then, a wave of doubt hit her hard.
Taylor… Josh’s father? There was no way Josh would want anything from him.
Just then, Josh walked back into the kitchen, Emily perched happily on his shoulders.
“Hey, what’s that?” he asked, adjusting Emily’s legs.
“It’s a gift,” Kate said slowly, “from your dad.”
Josh’s entire body froze. He quickly took the note from Kate’s hand and read it. His jaw tightened. Kate watched his face change as the old memories came rushing back.
Josh didn’t have a normal father-son relationship. Taylor had abandoned Josh and his mother when Josh was only seven years old. He had chosen another woman over his own family.
Josh had told Kate everything during one of their first serious dinners together.
“A father’s supposed to be your hero, Kate,” Josh had said bitterly. “But mine threw us away like trash because he found someone else.”
Kate had listened, her heart aching for the boy he had been.
“And it wasn’t just that,” Josh had added grimly. “He was into shady stuff too. Gambling, stealing money. My mom tried to shield me from it, but you can’t hide that kind of mess.”
Josh had grown up without a father, and he didn’t want anything to do with Taylor. Even when Taylor tried to reach out before their wedding, Josh had refused.
“I don’t want him there, Kate,” he had said, stuffing wedding invitations into envelopes. “If he shows up, it’ll ruin the day. I don’t want to spend my wedding looking over my shoulder.”
And when Emily was born, Taylor had tried again.
“Please, Kate,” Josh had begged back then. “Don’t let him near us. I don’t want that kind of poison around our daughter.”
Kate had promised to stand by Josh, no matter what.
And now, this package…this pillow.
Josh picked up the pillow and ran his hand over it. Suddenly, his face twisted in alarm.
“Sweetheart, we can’t keep this pillow!” he said, voice sharp.
Without another word, he sprinted to the back door and threw the pillow into the garden like it was a live bomb.
“Josh! What’s going on?” Kate gasped, rushing after him, leaving Emily happily munching fruit in her highchair.
“It’s ticking, Kate!” Josh said. “There’s something inside!”
“T-ticking? Are you serious?” Kate asked, her stomach turning cold.
They both stood at the edge of the garden, staring at the pillow lying among the flowers. Nervously, Kate bent down and listened.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
“Oh my gosh,” she breathed. “You’re right.”
Her mind raced. Why would Taylor send something dangerous? Was he trying to hurt them?
“Kate, get your phone. Record everything,” Josh said firmly. “If there’s something illegal, we need proof.”
Kate pulled out her phone, hands shaking slightly. Josh grabbed the pillow and tore it open.
Inside was a small black box…with a blinking red light and a timer ticking down.
Kate stepped back in horror.
“What the hell is that?” she whispered.
Josh looked like he wanted to crush the box under his foot but held back.
“Let’s find out,” he said grimly. “Call him.”
Kate found Taylor’s number and dialed with trembling fingers. Taylor answered after one ring.
“Hi, Kate! Did you get my package?” he said cheerfully, like this was all normal.
“There’s something inside the pillow!” Kate blurted out. “A box! It’s ticking! What did you send us?”
Taylor chuckled warmly. “It’s part of the gift! Relax — it’s just a little surprise. It’s programmed to open on your anniversary. Nothing dangerous, I promise.”
Josh grabbed the phone from Kate’s hand.
“You expect us to believe you? After everything you’ve done?” Josh snapped. “Tell me what’s really inside that box.”
Taylor’s voice softened. “Please, son. It’s just a gesture. No harm. Just open it, you’ll see.”
“Stay out of our lives,” Josh said coldly and hung up.
Kate turned to Josh, who was still glaring at the phone like it had betrayed him.
“What do you want to do?” she asked gently.
Josh rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe we should just open it,” Kate suggested carefully. “If he wanted to hurt us, he wouldn’t tell us to open it.”
Josh stared at her for a long moment, then slowly nodded.
“But record it,” he said, his voice low and cautious.
Kate started recording again as Josh carefully opened the little box.
Inside was… a check for $100,000.
They both stared in shock.
Josh looked completely blindsided.
“What is this supposed to be?!” he said, voice cracking. “Is he trying to buy forgiveness?”
Before they could even breathe, Taylor called again.
Kate picked up.
“We found the check,” she said stiffly. “Why?”
Taylor’s voice cracked this time.
“Because…I’m dying, Kate. I messed up so badly. I know Josh doesn’t want me in his life, but this money…it’s for you. For Emily. Use it for her future. If Josh can’t forgive me, I understand. No one even has to know it came from me.”
Kate’s heart twisted painfully. She looked at Josh, who had gone completely still.
Josh took the phone.
“Dad,” he said quietly, “If you’re serious…we need to talk. No more tricks.”
“Thank you, Josh,” Taylor whispered. “You tell me when.”
They arranged to meet Taylor at a small park later that week — a quiet, peaceful place they often took Emily to play.
The day of the meeting, Josh was a bundle of nerves, pacing, fidgeting, checking his watch every two seconds. Kate packed a little picnic, thinking food might help break any awkward tension.
When Taylor arrived, he looked… old. Fragile. Nothing like the strong man Josh remembered.
“I’m sorry,” Taylor said immediately, voice raw. “I was a terrible father. I don’t have much time left, but whatever time I have, I want to make it right.”
Josh swallowed hard, emotions storming across his face.
“It’s not easy, Dad,” he said. “But…for Emily’s sake…I’ll try.”
As the two of them talked, Kate set out the sandwiches, fruit, and juice she had packed. Emily crawled around on a picnic blanket, happily unaware of the heavy emotions swirling around her.
By the time they left the park, Josh squeezed Kate’s hand tightly.
“Maybe…maybe that pillow wasn’t such a curse after all,” he said with a small, hopeful smile.
Maybe, just maybe, something broken could finally start to heal.
